HeartFit with Annie Smith
Meet Annie – a Personal Trainer & Group Fitness Instructor for 29 years whose passion in life is to help others achieve their health and fitness goals to become their best version of themselves, as well as enjoying the benefits of regular physical exercise herself. Annie’s life as she knew it came to an abrupt halt when she was diagnosed 9 years ago with an invisible illness; a rare, incurable, and life-threatening heart disease, Cardiac Sarcoidosis (& systemic sarcoidosis). She had an ICD implanted (pacemaker and defibrillator) and started taking many medications daily to help sustain her.
Annie wouldn’t let it stop her from being as physical as she safely could, so she took on walking when she was at her sickest, on the recommendation of her cardiologist, Dr. Heather Ross. It’s now one of her favourite exercises!
In 2019 Annie created Annie’s Pace Global Adventure (APGA); a 4 day all-abilities adventure every May, where the world unites for 4 days for heart health awareness. The goal during those 4 days (& lifetime), is to exercise for 1 hour/day, OR test your limits along with Annie and exercise as long as you can for those 4 days.
Annie’s personal APGA goal for the first 5 years was to treadmill-walk as far as she could for the 4 days (usually an average of 8-10 hours/day). Over 5 APGA years (or 20 days) Annie treadmill-walked 700km. Due to unfortunate health changes Annie doesn’t make large distance goals anymore. She continues to test her limits physically every day of APGA, keeping her personal goals to herself, and focuses more on spreading the awareness and the importance of 1 hour a day of exercise for continued good heart health. “It is for FUN while challenging your body, mind and spirit and keeping your heart healthy!”
She is branching APGA out to her surrounding communities. This year APGA is hosting a Health and Fitness Fair Heart Fundraiser in Millbrook, Ontario, on Saturday, MAY 25, 10AM-3PM. There will be a variety of local health and fitness professional’s set-up as well as 5 hours of fitness classes being taught with other instructors alongside Annie. She is also opening her Studio, All the Right Moves (just outside of Omemee, ON) for the other 3 days of APGA from 10am-7pm for people to come in and exercise for 1 hour/day or test their limits as well, to get their daily recommended exercise-dose for their hearts. Annie’s future APGA goal is to continue branching out to other instructors’ Studios/gyms and have charity classes being taught during the APGA weekend all across the world. Helping her spread the word that movement and FUN can and should go together! All for heart health!
Your life is worth 1 hour a day – Dr. Heather Ross.
All donations raised go to Dr. Ross’ Test Your Limits Initiative. (“The funds raised will be for support of heart disease and heart failure research. 100% of your support will go directly towards making research in heart failure and transplantation possible.”).
APGA encourages organ donation. Eight lives can be saved when you sign up for organ donation, so please sign up today if you haven’t already!
APGA has raised $21,000 in 5 years. The 6th annual APGA is May 24-27, 2024. Annie encourages everyone to share her message and get involved – Sign up to participate!
Annie hopes to inspire you and help you achieve the best version of yourself daily and choose courage over fear.
‘I am grateful! I appreciate life every day I wake up and I listen to my heart and what it tells me. I live with a positive attitude and that’s about all I can do!’
Sharon Bray
Paula Henderson
Isabel Victal
Cindy